Gross violations of CITES regulations have resulted in illegal trade and transport into Europe of endangered orangutans, gibbons, reptiles and birds, according to one IUCN spokesperson, who added that the EU is "one of the largest marketplaces in the world" for such illegal traffic.

The most significant outcome of the conference was the recommendation that investigations and prosecutions be uniformly and strictly applied among all EU members, so as to adequately protect both wildlife species and endangered habitats all over the world. Two programs for decisions on appropriate fines and prison terms were discussed and it was anticipated that these would form the basis of sentencing guidelines across Europe, in a coordinated effort to combat environmental crime with harsh penalties.

While this effort is commendable, it must be noted that wildlife conservation in the EU is also in need of some serious consideration. In France, a ban on trapping of foxes has led to a situation in which some 5,000 people are treated with shots to prevent rabies every year, because the out of control fox population has its ups and downs in periodic rabies outbreaks, and rural people are often bitten. In Germany, beaver are now getting so numerous that they are damaging vast acreages with their dam and flood projects. In the UK, the ban on trapping has resulted in a similar fox explosion, although rabies has not entered that country yet through the Chunnel. English red foxes are invading towns, villages, and even London, where they live on garbage and handouts from bemused urbanites who don't know how to react to these wild animals. Also in the UK, feral mink, originally escaped from fur farms, are wreaking havoc on the island nation's indigenous bird population, yet there are no plans to curb them through trapping, which is the most efficient and environmentally safe method of control. Although the Netherlands has banned trapping, it makes an exception for control of its muskrat population, so as to keep the heads of the Dutch above water.

In addition to these two issues of inadequate law enforcement of trade in protected wildlife and the lack of resolve to control species in their own countries, the EU nations are among the staunchest of those opposed to the rational management of elephants in Southern Africa and India, and are adamantly insisting that there be no resumption of commercial whaling for human consumption, regardless of the abundance of target species, or the impact of whales on marine habitats and fish stocks.